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Blog
Perfect Springtime Red Wine
2006 Francois Gay et Fils Savigny Les Beaune
Meet the perfect Springtime red…the 2006 Francois Gay Savigny les Beaune ($20) offers a core of red cherry and strawberry aromas overlain with orange peel, clove and rose notes. A savory, gamey quality is present, adding to the wine’s complexity and intrigue. On the palate,the texture is soft with lush fruit, fine tannins and vibrant acidity, giving way to a persistent, lengthy finish.
This wine is an excellent value that is showing beautifully now. Pair with pan seared duck breast, braised kale and sauteed potatoes.
Pan seared duck breast with braised kale and sauteed potatoes.
An Evening with Mark Gaier & Clark Frasier
From Left: Clark Frasier & Mark Gaier showcasing one of their amazing culinary creations!
On December 7th 2011, I had the pleasure of meeting Mark Gaier and Clark Frasier, the Chef-Owners of renowned Arrows Restaurant and MC Perkins Cove in Ogunquit, Maine. Mark and Clark demonstrated an unforgettable five-course menu for De Gustibus Cooking School’s Glorious American Cooking class. The delightful menu included their Mushroom Pie and ethereal Cider Poached Salmon. Trailblazers of the farm-to-table movement, their cooking styles showcase the pure, clean flavors of the ingredients that they use. Each dish was delicious and sumptuous without feeling heavy, evidencing the true mastery of these great Chefs.
The featured wines were provided by importer Frederick Wildman & Sons and included NV Champagne Pol Roger Reserve, 2010 Pascal Jolivet Sancerre Les Caillottes and 2008 Potel Aviron Morgan Cote du Py.
After the class, I had the opportunity to sit down with Mark and Clark and ask them some questions about their culinary careers and wine preferences. The Wine Cellarage’s exclusive interview with Mark Gaier and Clark Frasier is below…
WC: Based on what I’ve read, you guys are trailblazers of sustainability and the farm-to-table movement. What was the driving philosophy or inspiration behind the Arrows garden that you founded back in 1992?
Mark: The initial reason was necessity because we couldn’t find the produce that was good enough for our restaurant. We had been in California before Maine and had access to nice fresh ingredients. In New England, in the late 80s, it was still really difficult. There were only a few local farmers and they were growing things and doing an okay business, some of them did a great business, but they couldn’t supply our restaurant with quite enough produce. It was unreliable. We felt that we needed to go with the spirit of the people that lived here 100 years ago and just grow what we needed. People used to be self sufficient in many ways and now of course most people aren’t. We thought that with a restaurant like Arrows and five acres of land, we could have an incredible garden and it really worked out.
Clark: For most of the year, the garden sustains almost all of the produce for Arrows, about 90-95%, and about 20-30% of the produce for MC Perkins Cove. It’s a lot. It’s the real deal and not just for show. It is three quarters of an acre and one of the most intensely cultivated pieces of land you’ll ever find.
WC: Can you tell me a little bit about how you ended up opening a restaurant in Maine?
Clark: We were trying to open a restaurant in Carmel, California and it kept falling through. We had a backer, but Carmel is really expensive. One day, Mark’s friends called and asked if we would like to buy this restaurant. Mark said, “Yeah, sure, but we don’t have any money”. They really wanted to give us the option to buy and encouraged us to come check it out. So we loaded up everything we owned, got in the car and drove across the country. We said, “What the hell, we’ve really got nothing to lose.”
Mark: I knew the restaurant because I had lived in that area of Maine before, I frequented the restaurant, but never really thought I would buy it.
WC: Can you tell me about the wine list at Arrows? What is the philosophy behind the wine selections?
Clark: The wine list is split to a large degree between French and Californian wines, with maybe 1/3 devoted to other international regions. We have a particular depth in Bordeaux because Mark and I like Bordeaux and because we can’t keep enough Burgundies on hand, mostly due to demand. The Burgundies fly out the door so fast. We used to have about 700 selections on the list. We paired that down during the recession and made the list leaner and cleaner. We have two cellars with a lot of capacity. We’ve tried to make the list as accessible and interesting as possible. We try to have a lot of interesting, lesser known wineries and eclectic options. We still love Bordeaux, so we keep collecting those and try to have a fair amount in that area.
WC: What was your biggest challenge in getting Arrows established in Ogunquit 23 years ago?
Mark: The location was challenging, because it is very seasonal in Southern Maine. We’re not in a town, but in the countryside and in sort of a middle class resort area and Arrows evolved into a really upscale restaurant.
Clark: And if you will, the prejudice of Maine, that Maine is for lobster rolls, blueberry pies and down-home and it took people time to acclimate to the idea of a “Great Country Restaurant” which is what Arrows became. Rattle people’s cage, and present a really interesting restaurant that’s not in New York or New Orleans or Chicago, not in the city. This was a pretty wild concept and it still is. In the Americas, people still don’t really look to the countryside for their restaurants. I think that was a really interesting challenge. And frankly, at that time Boston was a real backwater with just a couple of good restaurants. There was Jasper’s and Aujourd’hui, and that was about it. That’s why the Zagat guide kept having us as the most highly rated restaurant in New England.
WC: What experience(s) have had the biggest influence over your cooking style?
Mark: Working for Jeremiah Towers and Mark Franz at Stars [in San Francisco], had a strong influence on us. We consider them mentors.
Clark: The story I told during class about living in Beijing and the seasons. And Mark and I travel all the time. That really not only influences our food, but for example, all of the uniforms at Arrows are hand made in Thailand. All of the plates, a lot of the things at the restaurant are made for the restaurant from our travels. The food and the whole sensibility are influenced by our travels. We both really enjoy reading historical things, that’s really influenced us a lot. For years we’ve done dinners that revolve around historical menus: Renaissance, Belle Époque etc.
Mark: Reading, research and travel are all elements that inform our cooking.
Clark: And then of course, the people who work with us have a big influence. Justin Walker has worked with us for 15 years and has had a real impact with ideas like foraging. Mark and I don’t really forage, we’ll go out with him, but he’s the expert.
WC: Do you have a favorite wine region, if so, which is it and why?
Mark: I love Champagne.
Clark: We both love Champagne.
Mark: That would definitely be a favorite. For me, Champagne and then Burgundy. I like Burgundy more than Bordeaux. Clark prefers Bordeaux. I really love Burdundies…Drouhin is a favorite. For Champagne, I loved the Pol Roger earlier.
Clark: We love the Cuvee Sir Winston Churchill, which a friend brought for New Year’s one year, a huge Methuselah sized bottle. We love rosé Champagnes too, especially Billecart-Salmon.
Mark: That’s probably my favorite producer, especially the rosé.
Clark: Gosset is another favorite Champagne producer. I love Bordeaux, old and young, but it really has to do with the food for me. I like lighter wines now, as I get older, which is really odd. I always liked big wines, and now I’m more into light, food-friendly wines.
WC: If you could drink one wine every day, what would it be?
Mark: Bubbly.
Clark: Yeah, I could drink Champagne every day.
WC: What is your current favorite ingredient to work with?
Mark: That’s a tough one. Probably the mushrooms that we’ve foraged lately.
An Evening with Chef Mourad Lahlou
Chef Mourad Lahlou with his Date Leather
On November 7th 2011, I attended the De Gustibus Cooking School’s fascinating “Culinary Destinations” class taught by Mourad Lahlou, Executive Chef and Owner of Aziza, the highly acclaimed, modern Moroccan restaurant in San Francisco. Mourad’s energy, passion and focus were apparent as he prepared a stunning seven-course menu. This was all on the tails of guest starring on the Martha Stewart Show, that morning!
Mourad was born and raised in the ancient Medina of Marrakesh amongst his large extended family. At 20 years old, he came to the United States to study economics at San Francisco State University. It was during this time that he began teaching himself how to recreate his favorite Moroccan dishes with local ingredients using his own creative techniques. This experimentation blossomed into his career as a trail blazing Moroccan-American chef.
Mourad’s talent has not gone unnoticed. In 2008, he was named a Rising Star Chef by StarChefs, and in 2009, the Chronicle raised Aziza’s rating to three and a half stars. Also in 2009, Zagat named Aziza one of the top 10 Bay Area restaurants of the decade, and Mourad won Food Network’s Iron Chef America by a record-breaking margin. In 2010, Aziza became the first Moroccan restaurant to receive a Michelin Star. Needless to say, I’ll definitely be making reservations at Aziza the next time I’m in San Francisco.
The bright, exotic flavors of Mourad’s menu were perfectly paired with three delicious wines from the New Zealand Complexity portfolio. The citrus and apple flavors of our favorite New Zealand sparkling wine, the NV Quartz Reef Methode Traditionelle from Central Otago, were a sublime pairing for Mourad’s Lentil Soup with date balls and celery salad. The fourth course, a Salt-Roasted Thai Snapper with lettuce puree, was beautifully paired with Complexity’s Spy Valley Envoy Riesling from Marlborough. The third wine selection, Amisfield’s Pinot Noir from Central Otago was delightful with all three! Cous Cous preparations that Mourad demonstrated. This incredibly versatile Pinot sailed us through the rest of Mourad’s menu, pairing with both his Basteeya recipe (Moroccan meat pie) and his Beghrir (Moroccan pancakes).
After this energy packed class, I had the opportunity to ask Mourad some questions about his background and culinary career. The attention that he gave to my questions was impressive, especially considering the whirlwind day that he had. The Wine Cellarage’s exclusive interview with Mourad Lahlou is below…
WC: I’ve read that you studied economics at San Francisco State University before becoming a Chef. At what point in your life did you decide to pursue a culinary career?
Mourad: Basically I just stumbled on it. I never knew that I was able to cook, I never knew that I had a palate that was clean and sophisticated enough for me to even taste good food. Initially, when I started cooking, it was as a student. I always invited people over because I didn’t have any money and I would cook for people for their birthdays. That was literally what I did. Instead of going to a restaurant, I would bring my friends home and cook for them. I would prep for a whole day, sometimes for two days, and then people would come and we’d get together and eat. My friends would say, “This so good, this is the best food that I’ve had”. I would think, “You’re just saying that because it’s free, of course you’re going to say that.” I never believed them to be honest with you. It became more and more precise in terms of people telling me why they liked the food. Little by little, I gained enough perspective on food that I felt that I could actually make food. Not just repeating dishes made either by somebody here, or back home, but I started actually intellectually trying to dissect and deconstruct every single thing that I was doing. Trying to understand the science, the physics and everything that happens in the dish, and once I get a grasp on that, I say, “Okay, this is what I could possibly do. It would be really cool if I take this out of it and introduce it back in a different form or texture.”
WC: What do you consider to be the worst clichés and misconceptions about Moroccan food?
Mourad: The worst thing that I could possibly think of is probably that it is a food that is only enjoyed in the cliché setting of the tent, sitting on the floor and eating with your fingers and having a half naked woman shake her ass in front of you before you enjoy Moroccan food.
WC: Aziza’s wine list is very unique and eclectic. Can you explain the philosophy behind the list?
Mourad: The list originally was put together by Mark Ellenbogen. He was doing my list for about 15 years. He was interested in biodynamic, organic wines. He hates wines from California, so we had no wines from California whatsoever, and people took offense to that. People would come to Aziza and see the list and say, “How can you be in a place like San Francisco and claim to be local and sustainable. Why are you bringing wines from across the world?” His argument to that was that he doesn’t believe that the wines and winegrowers and makers in Napa have the same depth and the same philosophy as winemakers in Europe. When he first put the wine list together, he used to have it categorized as the “old world” and the “new world” and he really believed that the grapes that were grown in Italy and in Austria and Germany were far more superior than the grapes that were used in Napa. He also believed that the alcohol level in the wines that are made in America is a lot higher, so basically wine was made to make you drunk in a way, because of the percentage of the alcohol in it. He really believed that the lower alcohol levels in European wines made them more suitable for food, rather than just as a cocktail. He was more inclined to use wines from Europe. And he went with the Rieslings, because he felt that they paired really well with the spices of the cuisine and the sweetness. So, that’s how he put it together. About two years ago, Mark decided to open his own restaurant, so now he’s partnered up with a couple other people and opened Bar Agricole, and when that happened, a lady by the name of Farnoush Deylamian is the one who’s taken over the list and she’s been doing the list for a year and a half now. The list is more popular now than it was before because she’s not so opposed to having wines from Napa but has picked them in a way that is so unique. She has great talent and is the same lady that does all of the cocktails as well.
WC: What experience(s) have had the biggest influence over your cooking style?
Mourad: The friendships that I have. My friendship with Daniel Patterson, the Chef-Owner of Coi, and David Kinch, the Chef-Owner of Manresa, those relationships have really been an inspiration.
WC: Is there a market in NYC that you would recommend for sourcing Moroccan ingredients? Do you have a favorite NYC marketplace?
Mourad: Kalustyan’s Spices and Sweets on Lexington Avenue at 28th Street (123 Lexington Avenue).
WC: Do you have an all-time favorite ingredient to work with?
Mourad: That’s a tough question, but I’d have to say it’s time. I don’t like to be rushed. If you skip a step or leave an ingredient out, the dish is not going to be the same. When making a Vadouvan spice blend for example, which is a French version of curry, every step is really important. I have to say that time is my favorite ingredient.
An Evening with Chef Ben Pollinger
Chef Ben Pollinger with his Loup de Mer en Papillote
On October 17th 2011, I attended a riveting “Across the Seven Seas” cooking class at De Gustibus Cooking School, which was taught by Ben Pollinger, Executive Chef of Oceana, NYC’s Michelin-starred shrine to seafood. Ben was joined by Oceana’s Executive Pastry Chef Jansen Chan, who concluded the class with an impressive demo of four ethereal custards. Pollinger’s dedication to showcasing the pure flavors of the ocean through his innovative cooking techniques was palpable in every bite that the class enjoyed that evening. Pollinger’s informative demonstrations included boning and filleting a whole fish (a branzino) from start to finish.
A New Jersey native, Ben Pollinger graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY, as class valedictorian. Ben’s distinctive cooking style is heavily influenced by his work and travels in France, Italy and Spain. In addition to sustaining Oceana’s Michelin star for five years in a row, Pollinger is a father of three, an avid gardener and also makes the time to contribute to various charitable organizations including City Harvest, Share Our Strength, Autism Speaks and the James Beard Foundation.
Pollinger’s five-course menu was magnificent, elevating the fresh seafood flavors with nuanced, expert preparations. The featured dishes included Striped Bass Sashimi with peach chutney and macadamias, Loup de Mer en Papillote and Whole Roast Branzino stuffed with spinach, mushrooms and olives. The menu was paired with three delightful Italian wines from the Banfi Vintners portfolio: Vigne Regali Pricipessa Perlante Gavi Sparkling, 2010 Vigne Regali Gavi Principessa Gavia and 2009 Vigne Regali Dolcetto d’Acqui L’Ardi.
The Wine Cellarage’s exclusive interview with Chef Ben Pollinger is below…
WC: I’ve read that you have a 500 square ft organic garden, where is it located?
Ben: It’s a home garden. I live in Oradell, New Jersey. Just to be completely honest with you, when it was 500 square ft, I was living in Lodi, New Jersey. It’s a little bit smaller now, probably 300 square ft. I moved last year, last summer, and had to replant my garden and it’s still a very large garden. Just because of my yard layout, I have another thirty pots with all different kinds of herbs, so besides my vegetables and such, I probably have about 30 different herbs. This year, I also planted a peach tree in my yard.
WC: What suggestions do you have for New Yorkers interested in urban gardening?
Ben: You need living soil for any kind of garden, but particularly for planters and potted plants. You need good living soil, not just sterile topsoil that you find at the garden center. You need living organisms in there. If you can, this is probably exceptionally hard, but if you can get farm soil, I would do that. I would suggest going to a farmer’s market and asking a farmer, “hey, can you bring me a five gallon bucket of dirt and I’ll buy it off of you.” I would start with good Hudson Valley black dirt, North of NJ, old alluvial soils from ancient times and it’s rich, black and really great. Try to buy a bucket of black dirt off of a farmer. If you can, amend your soil with compost. At the farmer’s markets in the city, you can buy organic compost with worm castings and stuff like that. That’s going to give you living microbes and living microorganisms. That and some worms, and each season, I would continually refresh your soil with fresh compost and get your hands on a mix of leaves. Keep your soil vibrant and alive. I know this is hard to do in an urban setting. In my garden, I add all of my leaves every fall. I dig them into my garden and they break down. Every summer, I take my grass clippings from the lawn and spread them like mulch in between the plants. Continually amending the soil with living matter. If you’re ambitious, I would buy a composter for your sink with red worms in it. They look like earthworms, but they’re small and red. If you can deal with worms in your place and you have enough room, get a composter. The key is good living soil.
WC: As a father of three and Executive Chef, how do you find the time for your philanthropic endeavors? How do you balance it all?
Ben: It’s time management and organization. A balance of committing to what you can handle. Unfortunately, you can’t fulfill every request. Every cause that you’re asked to do is a great cause, but you can’t fulfill every request. It’s a matter of supporting the causes that are closest to you and good time management. It’s a challenge. Long days.
WC: What experience(s) have had the biggest influence over your cooking style?
Ben: I would say, two main experiences. One is not a particular moment in time, but the general experience of having worked at Tabla for Floyd Cardoz, was the most significant experience that I’ve had for several reasons. It opened up an entire new world of cuisine, a style of food, a cuisine and ingredients that I had never been exposed to before. In terms of the whole Indian pantry and certain Indian techniques. Things that I would not really have ever learned anywhere else, and those things affect me not only in the way of knowing how to work and use Indian spices in an Indian manner, but just the general sense of how to use these ingredients now, and also the flavor profiles. Different kinds of flavor profiles that exist in that cuisine, things that I have been able to work into my cuisine now. Whether it will be some dishes that are Indian inspired or will seem Indian, but there’s even a Greek dish on the menu tonight, incorporating dill and anise seeds, as well as adding fresh dill, gives another layer of flavor. Taking spices that I understand how to work with from an Indian perspective and using them in a non-Indian way.
The other main thing is working under Floyd is really where I learned to be a Chef. As opposed to being a cook or even a good Sous-Chef. He really taught me how to manage the business side of running a restaurant. Food is first, but you also need to hold the business side together. He really taught me how to do that. How to manage the labor and ingredient costs, how to manage scheduling and planning a menu. How to maintain a restaurant. He taught me how to run a restaurant.
The other main experience overall would have been the year that I lived in Monaco and worked for Alain Ducasse at Le Louis XV. The life experience of living overseas and living in a different culture was just huge. The general flavor profile and style of cooking and food that exists in the French Riviera and the South of France. More in general, the Northern Mediterranean, South of France, North of Italy, Coastal Spain, there are a lot of similarities in those areas that really affect my cooking. A lot of them are really driven by the same kind of lightness of flavor, clarity of ingredients. This may sound like a cliché, but olive oil instead of butter. It’s really a lighter, cleaner style of cooking that I think overall really defines what I do, defines my style of cooking.
WC: Where does your affinity for preparing seafood and fish stem from?
Ben: Most restaurants, particularly at our level, generally break down the cooking responsibilities. They create stations based on either ingredient and/or the equipment that you’re cooking it on. A lot of the restaurants that I worked in were very classic, where you have a cook who cooks fish, a cook who cooks meat, a cook who cooks vegetables, and as a cook, the fish station was my favorite station to work. I love cooking meat, and I’m very good at cooking meat as well, but I really just like the fish because there are so many more different varieties out there than meat. I think that fish can require a little bit more finesse to cook and it’s a little less forgiving, so it’s a little trickier to cook and a little more challenging. It’s kind of more reflective of how I like to eat these days, a little lighter. I still eat plenty of meat, but I like how fish is generally a lot lighter than any given meat. As well, from the perspective of being a Chef, from an artistic perspective, you can apply a broader palate of other ingredients and styles and flavors to fish that are a lot more challenging than what you can do with meat, you can do a lot more with fish.
WC: Do you have a favorite wine region, if so, which is it and why?
Ben: Champagne. It’s so refreshing and crisp, there are so many different styles within Champagne as well.
WC: If there were a wine you could drink every day, what would it be?
Ben: Champagne. I don’t drink anymore, but when I did, I really enjoyed the bolder Champagnes. A blanc de noir or even a full-bodied yeasty Champagne, like Bollinger, Ruinart, Krug. Bigger, fuller Champagnes would be my preference.
WC: Do you have an all-time favorite ingredient to work with?
Ben: Good question. Olive oil. I use a lot of olive oil and there are so many different styles of olive oil.
WC: What is your wish for the future of food and dining in the U.S.?
Ben: I hope we get to a point where people have a better understanding of where their food comes from. And not that everybody has to be into everything, some people tonight were squeamish about when I was taking the guts out of the fish. That’s fair enough and you don’t have to be into that, but I think that people need to really understand that their food comes from a living animal that had to be killed to be put on their plate, and to respect that process, and that your produce comes from the land. Your chicken doesn’t come from a Styrofoam package in the store, it comes from a chicken. I think we need to have an understanding of where our food comes from because the next thing we need is to live our lives in a manner, and eat in a manner, that supports overall sustainability and good health of the planet. I’m not against farmed protein or even farmed fish, but I think we need to have all of this stuff in a manner that’s sensible. We need to have more of our food come from more natural sources and raised in a manner that is natural. We need to raise our protein in a way so that we don’t need to jack them up with antibiotics to keep them from getting sick, or with hormones to get them to grow faster.
I wish we could get to a point where we treat food less as a commodity, and more as an actual ingredient that we’re going to eat. There’s a quote from this book Tomatoland, a farmer is asked what he thinks about the way that his tomatoes taste. He responds that he doesn’t get paid by the taste, he gets paid by the pound. We need to grow foodstuffs that are for taste first, and support artisanal production. We need less industrialization of the food process. We need to have an understanding that quality food costs money, quality food can’t be cheap.
In terms of food and dining, I think there’s room across the spectrum of restaurants, for everything from very casual street food and small Mom & Pop restaurants, all the way to ultra-luxe dining, there’s room for all of it, but I wish we got a little bit closer, particularly on my end of the spectrum, to cooking more from a natural perspective. I don’t want to say that we should be stuck in the past and not move forward with new technology, but I want there to be a bit more emphasis on teaching folks how to cook, how to cook traditionally, and then move on to more modern things. But you have to understand where you came from to go someplace.
Wines for the Holidays
Celebratory Holiday Wine
The holiday season has arrived! Here in New York City, the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree was lit last week and holiday festivities are officially underway. The distinct magic and excitement of the season is in the air. Beautiful lights, decorations and joyful music can be enjoyed at every turn and there’s reason for celebration.
For wine lovers everywhere, the holiday season is filled with ample opportunities to uncork and savor our favorite fine wines. As we oenophiles plan our holiday parties and celebrations, there’s nothing more gratifying than choosing the wines that we will share with our family and friends. It’s time to break out the very best, but with so many amazing wines to choose from, where does one begin?
Below you will find a guide to our favorite wines for the holidays, from what to pour at your holiday party to the perfect wine gifts to give. Cheers and Happy Holidays from The Wine Cellarage!
Holiday Party Wines
When choosing what to pour at your holiday soirée, the key is to select wines that offer the attractive combination of quality and value. The options below encompass the various wine styles: Sparkling, Rosé, White and Red. By presenting a fair assortment of three different wine styles to choose from, you’ll have no problem pleasing the varied palates of your guests. Our recommendations for holiday parties are budget friendly wines (no more than $20 per bottle) that we absolutely love to drink.
NV Lamberti Prosecco Extra Dry ($16) Aromatic with citrus and floral notes, the palate is bright with generous bubbles, crisp green apple and pear flavors and a clean, refreshing finish. Fun and easy to drink, this is just the wine to serve with passed hors d’oeurves, salads and lighter fare.
One of the Veneto region’s most innovative wineries, The House of Lamberti is located on the shores of Lake Garda in northern Italy. The estate crafts beautiful wines representative of regional classics, revamping the traditional styles to adapt modern consumer needs. The grapes for this delightful Prosecco are sourced from the very best hillside vineyards within the Veneto’s Treviso commune.
2010 Mulderbosch Vineyards Rosé Stellenbosch ($12) Made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, this delicious, refreshing rosé showcases complex aromas and flavors of rose petals, lime zest and wild strawberry. A ruby inflected cranberry-color, this deeper hued rosé will look gorgeous and festive on your holiday table.
Located in the Stellenbosch Hills area, Mulderbosch Vineyards is one of South Africa’s top producers with an impressive portfolio including renowned white wines made from Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc and Chardonnay, as well as a Shiraz, Rosé and Dessert wine. Mulderbosch’s distinctive labels were inspired by a Cuban cigar band and designed by former cellar master Mike Dobrovic.
2010 Jean-Luc Colombo Cotes du Rhone Les Abeilles Blanc ($12) In addition to his celebrated Syrahs, Jean-Luc Colombo produces outstanding white wines from both the Northern and Southern Rhône. The 2010 Jean-Luc Colombo Côtes du Rhône Les Abeilles Blanc is a blend of regional varietals – Clairette, Grenache, Viognier and Roussanne. Appropriately, “Les Abeilles” translates to “the bees” and the wine offers a rich bouquet redolent of a honeybee’s journey through a field of wild flowers. Pleasantly refreshing, fruity, floral and round, “Les Abeilles” is a perfect crowd-pleasing quaff at a pocket-pleasing price point.
2010 Domaine des Vieux Pruniers Sancerre Blanc ($20) This is a quintessential Loire Valley Sauvignon Blanc – clean and pure, showing aromas of citrus fruit and blossoms, zesty lime and orange flavors and brisk minerality that lingers on the palate. This is a great value from the typically higher priced Sancerre appellation.
Domaine des Vieux-Pruniers is located in the village of Bué, a few short miles from Sancerre. Here the grapes grow on incredibly steep, hillside vineyards renowned for their limestone-rich soils. Made from start to finish by Christian Thirot-Fournier and his wife, the family team does everything from growing the grapes to bottling the wine.
2010 The Pinot Project Pinot Noir California ($14) Hand-crafted from the finest California Pinot grapes, The Pinot Project deals out sumptuous black cherry flavors, accentuated with exotic spice notes. This is a classic California Pinot, incredibly friendly and satisfyingly delicious.
The mission of this praiseworthy project, initiated by New York based importer and distributor Michael Skurnik Wines, is to offer quality Pinot Noir at an affordable price. We can’t thank Skurnik enough for this outstanding effort. Launched with the 2009 vintage, the Pinot Project is hugely popular with “in-the-know” wine lovers seeking an excellent every day wine.
2009 Villa Ponciago Fleurie la Reserve ($20) Elegant floral aromas of violets and peonies develop into pronounced notes of ripe cherry and blueberry. Greeting the palate with expressive, fresh flavors, the wine’s structure and balance dance harmoniously, highlighted by dazzling mineral elements and a remarkably long finish. The Fleurie’s brilliant garnet-violet color adds to its appeal.
Villa Ponciago is located in the Fleurie appellation of Beaujolais, which is one of the most renowned of the region’s 10 crus. Made from 100% Gamay, the grapes are grown on slopes in pink granite crystalline rock soils typical of the Fleurie appellation. The stony, well-drained slopes are ideal for growing low-yielding, high quality Gamay.
Holiday Dinner Wines
If you’re hosting a holiday dinner this year, we recommend turning to Italian wines for some of the most perfect pairings. In keeping with the Italian theme, we’ll start with wine pairings for an Italian Christmas Eve tradition, the Feast of the Seven Fishes.
While there are many variations of the Seven Fishes that you may opt to prepare, you can simplify your wine choices by pouring just one or two wines with this lovely dinner. Although it is not an Italian wine, Champagne is always a winner (especially for this special occasion) and an ideal pairing for seafood. The following wines will work wonderfully with your Seven Fishes:
NV Pierre Peters Brut Cuvee Reserve ($46) The NV Pierre Péters Brut Cuvée Reserve is a blend of almost 15 years of harvests, made exclusively from Grand Cru Chardonnay. The wine displays fine foam and a vivacious thread of bubbles. At first, fruit and floral notes mingle on the nose, giving way to fresh bread and hazelnut aromas. Elegant citrus and pear flavors dance on the palate along with qualities of cream and mineral. This Champagne is incredibly smooth and fresh with a magnificently long finish.
2009 Broglia Gavi di Gavi La Meirana Piemonte ($22) This Northern Italian beauty offers citrus and floral notes with bright, cleansing acidity and a lengthy, refreshing finish. The Broglia Gavi makes a fantastic pairing for seafood dishes.
2010 Livio Felluga Pinot Grigio DOC ($27) Livio Felluga is a name synonymous with excellence in northern Italian wine. The renowned estate enjoys a lustrous winemaking legacy that reaches back over five generations. Livio Felluga’s Pinot Grigio shows great elegance and purity with floral notes, stone fruit, citrus, pear and crisp minerality. This Pinot Grigio showcases the Estate’s superior quality standards and careful winemaking technique.
Cooking a roast for your holiday dinner? Whether it be a holiday Beef Brisket or an elegant Standing Rib Roast, Italy is the way to go for spectacular holiday wine pairings. A rich, fragrant and spicy Barolo will make a marvelous companion for your Beef Brisket. We suggest any of the following Barolos from the superlative 2004 vintage for dazzling results:
2004 Alfredo Prunotto Barolo Bussia ($70, Wine Advocate: 92 pts) “This expansive, refined Barolo reveals an attractive array of ripe dark fruit, sweet toasted oak, spices, tar and licorice. The tannins are broad, yet silky and the wine appears to have more than enough plumpness to provide balance. The 2004 is one of the finest recent vintages of this wine…” – Antonio Galloni, Wine Advocate
2004 Aldo Conterno Barolo Romirasco, 1.5 Litre ($290, Wine Advocate: 95pts) A large format bottle is a great way to go for holiday dinners. They insure that there’s plenty of wine to go around without opening multiple bottles and the presentation is nothing short of impressive.
“There is no need to taste the 2004 Barolo Romirasco, the nose alone is enough to understand that this is magnificent wine. Aromas of tar, roses, menthol, scorched earth and smoke lead to a core of dark red fruit than unfolds onto the palate with uncommon grace and elegance. As it sits in the glass the wine gradually puts on weight, filling out its considerably structured frame with notable class. The last Romirasco was made in 1993…” – Antonio Galloni, Wine Advocate
2004 Aldo Conterno Barolo ($75, Wine Advocate: 91 pts) “Aldo Conterno’s 2004 Barolo is simply beautiful. A medium red, it presents a feminine expression of Nebbiolo in its perfumed, spiced red raspberries and cherries. This is a soft, accessible Barolo ideal for near and mid-term drinking that fully captures the essence of this great vintage…” – Antonio Galloni, Wine Advocate
For your Standing Rib Roast, consider a full-bodied Italian or Italian-styled Cabernet Sauvignon. Either of the following will work equally well for a pork roast and are sure to elevate your holiday dinner to spectacular new levels:
2003 Castello di Monsanto Nemo Cabernet Sauvignon ($52, Wine Advocate: 94 pts) “The 2003 Nemo (Cabernet Sauvignon) is a plump, engaging wine loaded with ripe dark fruit. It shows awesome richness and an elegant, refined personality, even if what comes through is more vineyard character than varietal expression. With air and food this wine could be enjoyed today…This is a stunning wine, not to mention one of the top wines from Tuscany in 2003…” – Antonio Galloni, Wine Advocate
2008 Antica Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley ($55, Wine Advocate: 90 pts) Antica is located in Napa Valley and produced by Tuscany’s esteemed Antinori family. (Earlier this fall, I had the pleasure of tasting this stellar Cabernet during a lunch with Alessia Antinori. I was immediately taken with the wine’s elegant style and structure, and couldn’t resist adding the 2008 Antica Cabernet to Wine Cellarage’s portfolio.)
“The 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon is a European take on Napa fruit with lots of terroir, earth, spice, black cherry, black currant, cedar, licorice and foresty notes. Medium-bodied and elegant with sweet tannins and excellent fruit, it should drink nicely for up to a decade.” – Robert Parker, Wine Advocate
Wine Gifts
The sky’s the limit when it comes to wine gift options from our expansive portfolio. When faced with so many possibilities, gift-giving can become a bit overwhelming, which is why we’ve chosen five of our favorite wine gifts from each of four top regions: Napa Valley, Burgundy, Bordeaux and Champagne. Whether you’re shopping for a connoisseur of Napa Valley Cabernet or a Burgundy-lover, our Holiday Wine Gift Guide includes highly rated wines from renowned producers that are sure to delight and impress everyone on your list. Here’s a peek at our favorite wines to give this holiday season:
2008 Blackbird Vineyards Arise Proprietary Red Wine, Oak Knoll, Napa Valley ($54, Wine Advocate: 91pts) Located in the Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley, Blackbird Vineyards bares a strong resemblance to Bordeaux’s Pomerol region. With its cool climate and gravelly soils, Oak Knoll has proven to be an exceptional location for Merlot production. Led by the expertise of winemaker Aaron Pott, one of Napa’s finest, Blackbird Vineyards produces truly special Bordeaux-style red wines.
2009 Domaine Jean Marc et Hugues Pavelot Savigny-les-Beaune la Dominode ($58, Burghound: 92-94 pts) “This is perhaps the ripest wine in the range with a liqueur-like nose of black cherry, earth and underbrush hints that introduce rich, serious and concentrated flavors that possess an abundance of mid-palate extract as it almost completely buffers the otherwise very firm tannic spine, all wrapped in a palate staining finish. This stunning effort should reward at least a dozen years in the cellar and drink well for another decade thereafter.” – Allen Meadows, Burghound
2009 Chateau Petit Val Saint Emilion Grand Cru ($40) A stunning Right Bank Bordeaux from an outstanding recent vintage. (A blend of 70% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc & 5% Cabernet Sauvignon.) Black fruit aromas are accented by notes of tobacco and cocoa. Full-bodied with harmonious tannins and a lingering finish. This wine is opulent and delicious; a real value.
2004 Pierre Peters Brut Cuvee Speciale les Chetillons Champagne ($99, Wine Advocate: 96 pts) Pierre Péters is a small family-run estate located in the center of the Côte des Blancs region, in the Grand Cru village of Le Mesnil sur Oger. The Péters family has been growing Chardonnay and producing Blanc de Blancs Champagne since 1919, releasing their first vintage under the family name in 1944.
“The 2004 Brut Millesime Cuvee Speciale Les Chetillons is stratospheric. This is a cool, inward Chetillons endowed with breathtaking finesse. The 2004 is noticeably more vibrant and focused than the decidedly exuberant 2002. Ripe pears, almonds and jasmine are some of the notes that flesh out in this pure, energetic wine…” – Antonio Galloni, Wine Advocate
If you’re pressed for time, or unsure of your gift recipient’s specific wine taste, our gift cards and e-gift cards provide the perfect solution. Wine Cellarage gift cards take the guesswork out of gift giving by allowing your recipients to choose for themselves. We’ll include your personalized message on one of our festive note cards, which make a beautiful presentation, and we’ll mail the gift card right to your recipient’s door. Our Wine Cellarage e-gift cards make excellent last minute gifts and can be emailed to your recipients anytime, from anywhere, providing the ultimate convenience in gift-giving!
Our wine gift options don’t end here…you may opt to choose from our selection of two- and four-bottle gift sets packaged in collectible gift boxes. If you want to give a gift that keeps on giving throughout the year, The Wine Cellarage Wine Club is ideal! Featuring wines from classic regions and varietals, as well as those from emerging regions and lesser known varietals, our wine club is the ultimate wine gift for enthusiasts and connoisseur’s alike. Each delivery includes 6 wines (3 red & 3 white) as well as wine descriptions for your reference.
In addition to complimentary gift consultations, we offer free gift wrapping services and Free Manhattan Delivery for all orders over $100. We are happy to do the heavy lifting so that you can kick back and enjoy the holiday season!
An Evening with Chef Nick Anderer
Nick Anderer with his octopus salad.
On October 6th, I had the pleasure of attending the De Gustibus Cooking School’s “Touring Italy” class taught by Nick Anderer, Executive Chef of Maialino, NYC’s own Roman-style trattoria in Gramercy Park. Prior to opening Danny Meyer’s Maialino, Nick Anderer worked with Mario Batali at Babbo and spent six years at Meyer’s Gramercy Tavern, where he became Executive Sous-Chef. As Executive Chef at Maialino, Nick draws on his time spent studying art history in Rome, an experience that inspires the warm, Roman-esque menu. Nick sources his ingredients from the local Greenmarket, implementing a real farm-to-table philosophy in his cooking.
Nick’s passion and mastery of Italian cuisine were apparent as he whipped up a mouthwatering, five-course menu before our eyes. Each dish incorporated the freshest possible ingredients, which were showcased through Nick’s skillful handling, creating an incredible dining and learning experience. The courses were expertly paired with three delicious Italian wines from the Banfi Vintners portfolio.
The first course was an Octopus & Fingerling Potato Salad with celery and parsley (Polpo e Patate). Delightfully fresh, the salad was simply dressed with lemon juice and olive oil and the octopus was cooked to perfection. The polpo was paired with the Banfi Brut Metodo Traditionale Classico estate bottled sparkling wine; a Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Blanc blend with citrus and apple notes, bright acidity and a crisp, refreshing finish. The Banfi Brut couldn’t have been more complimentary to the dish.
Up next, Nick demonstrated the steps for making fresh pasta for his Pumpkin Ravioli with Aceto Tradizionale & Ricotta Salata (Agnolotti di Zucca). The delectable freshness of the pasta and squash came together in these edible pillows of heaven. The ravioli was finished with aged Acetaia Bellei Aceto Tradizionale Balsamic vinegar, aka Italian liquid gold, a real treat! Again, this course was a perfect pairing for the Banfi Brut Metodo Traditionale Classico.
For the third course, Anderer demo’d another fresh pasta, this time he prepared fresh cavatelli for his Homemade Cavatelli, Pork Sausage & Rapini (Pici all Norcia). Pasta with sausage and broccoli rabe is one of my favorites, so it was great to see and taste Nick’s take on the classic recipe. Nick uses stewed tomatoes in the sauce for his Pici, which was something I hadn’t tried before and gives the dish added dimension. Banfi’s 2009 Fontana Candida Luna Mater Frascati Superiore, a blend of Malvasia di Candia, Malvasia del Lazio, Greco and Bombino, was a wonderful companion for this pasta dish. Frascati is Rome’s signature white wine, and the Fontana Candida Luna Mater’s robust character and refreshing quality made it the ideal partner for this robust, yet refined, Pici all Norcia.
The fourth course, a Slow Roasted Short Rib with Coco Beans alla parmiggiana and watercress (Costata di Manzo), was a show stopper. So deliciously rich without being heavy, the short rib practically melted on your tongue. Nick’s careful preparation steps, including marinating the short rib overnight with salt, sugar, chili and black pepper, enhanced the meat’s flavor to lofty heights. The dish was incredible with the 2006 Castello Banfi Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, an elegant estate bottled Sangiovese with aromas of violet and licorice, and opulent flavors of red cherry and spice.
For the grand finale, Nick prepared a decadent Chocolate Torte (Torta di Cioccolato), which paired wonderfully with the Banfi Brunello!
After his enlightening cooking class, I was able to sit down with Nick and ask him some questions. Behind Nick’s laid-back persona, there is clearly a passionate and precise approach to his cuisine. The Wine Cellarage’s exclusive interview with Nick Anderer is below…
WC: Do you have a favorite Italian wine region, if so, which is it and why?
Nick: I love the wines in Tuscany and Umbria, I’m a big fan of Sagrantino and a big fan of Brunello. My favorite wine to drink at Maialino is the Rosso di Montalcino Poggio di Sotto, so I have an affinity for that. But then, who doesn’t love Nebbiolos you know, Piemonte. It’s a toss up; I’d say one of those two…Southern Tuscany and Umbria, and then Piemonte. You can’t compete with those regions.
WC: Is there a wine pairing rule of thumb that you go by?
Nick: Not really, I’m not a wine geek and not one of those guys that says “This has to be paired with this, that has to be paired with that.” There are so many ways to go with so many dishes and I think it’s all about balance. Acidity and sweetness. But, I think at the end of the day, my rule of thumb is that if you enjoy drinking it, and it’s not interfering with the food, then go for it. A lot of times I’ll taste a wine when we’re doing pairings at the restaurant and I’ll be like, “Well, this brings out this in the dish, and this brings out that” then I’ll taste again and think, “this is just so freakin amazing” and then I’ll taste the food and think, “and that’s freakin amazing”, and it’s not necessarily the textbook pairing, but it still works. So, would I pair a really, really dry Sagrantino with a really delicate dish? No, because it would be killing the dish. But so long as it isn’t interfering with the food and vice versa, if you like it, drink it.
WC: At what point in your life or career, did you become interested in Italian cuisine?
Nick: It had to be my junior year of college when I was studying art history in Rome. That was 1997, and it was the whole experience of seeing the way that the people there treat ingredients with respect and seeing how Italian homes eat. I was fortunate enough to always be brought up in a family that had big meals together. There’s almost an obsessive way that Italians think about food and it met my obsessions. I thought, “Wow, that’s really cool. There’s a whole culture of people that share my same crazed notions of what you should be eating on a daily basis. Your whole life is revolving around what you’re going to eat next.” That’s where it happened for me, in Rome in 1997.
WC: Growing up, did your family cook a lot?
Nick: A lot. Every night. And I think that my earliest Italian food memories are with my mom, she cooked Italian food. One of my best friends in grammar school was an Italian kid named Miquelien from Bologna. His mom was a cooking instructor and she gave my mom cooking lessons. Through that, she started introducing a lot of Italian food into our regular family meals. We cooked every night and that was definitely part of the reason that I became a Chef. People become Chefs for different reasons; some people become Chefs because their parents were such bad cooks. I became a Chef because my mother showed me what good food could actually be.
WC: What has been your greatest culinary achievement to date?
Nick: Creating Maialino has been my greatest culinary accomplishment because it’s the first restaurant that I got to create from scratch and I get to see it from the ground up. All the way from the rubble and construction to the team that we put together. It was really rag-tag to start and then it ended up being one of the greatest teams I’ve ever worked with. There’s a lot of pride involved with creating something from the ground up, literally creating a restaurant.
WC: What is your biggest inspiration when creating a new dish for Maialino’s menu?
Nick: Mother Nature. The market, farmers, food purveyors, they give me inspiration because they take so much care. Without their care, my food wouldn’t be what it is. Basically, I try to take the greatest hits of our favorite purveyors and do as little as possible to alter them. I don’t want to mess them up. Take them, respect them and put them on a plate. That’s my inspiration, the people that prepare and grow and harvest all of the stuff that we use.
WC: If there’s a wine you could drink every day, what would it be?
Nick: Everyday… Man. There are so many that I’m going to have to leave out. Rosso di Montalcino, that’s the first one that comes to my head. It’s not even the high-end wine, Brunello. It’s the Rosso.
WC: What is your favorite ingredient this month?
Nick: I’d say this month, I would go with either the baby rapini or the turnips from Jeffrey Frank at Liberty Gardens. He is a super star in my opinion, especially when talking about inspiration for dishes. He’s the man.
WC: Where do you see food trends heading in the future?
Nick: This might be a boring answer, but hopefully where they are heading right now. I think that people are taking the time to care about where their food is coming from and the more and more people do that, the more and more close America’s going to get to Europe in the way that we think about food. And I think that what’s trendy now is the Farm-to-Chef experience and I think that’s cool. It’s not cool when people use it as a catch phrase and it’s overdone, like bow down and kiss Alice Water’s bible, it shouldn’t be held up as a curse in anyway. When people are actually caring, when people go out and shop and care about shopping somewhere other than Food Emporium, then something good is happening in America. I think that getting good food to everyone is a really hard thing to accomplish in the United States of America. Without being too political about it, I’m just hoping that people care about where their food is coming from.
An Evening with Chef Angelo Sosa
Chef Angelo Sosa at De Gustibus
On September 27th, I had the pleasure of attending the De Gustibus Cooking School’s “Asian Adventures” class with Angelo Sosa, Executive Chef and Owner of Social Eatz here in NYC. Angelo is a protégé of Jean-Georges Vongerichten, having worked for a number of years at Restaurant Jean-Georges in Manhattan, Ocean Club at Dune restaurant in the Bahamas and opening Spice Market as Executive Sous Chef. In 2009, Angelo went on to open his own restaurant, Xie Xie (shay-shay), a fast paced-casual establishment in Hell’s Kitchen. Then, in 2010, Angelo was cast in Season 7 of Bravo’s hit reality series “Top Chef”. His most recent endeavor is Social Eatz, a fun, creative American-Asian restaurant and bar in mid-town Manhattan.
Angelo’s energy and enthusiasm was palpable as he prepared a stunning five-course menu while telling entertaining anecdotes from earlier in his career as a Chef, and earlier in his life. Each dish that Angelo demonstrated for the class was a sensational, playful surprise and paired beautifully with the wines of New Zealand Complexity.
The first course was a delightfully spicy Sweet Tomato Soup, made with whole peeled San Marzano tomatos, lemongrass and curry cream. The soup was paired with one of our favorite sparklers from New Zealand, the NV Quartz Reef Sparkling Methode Traditionnelle ($28).
Next, Angelo whipped together his Tuna Pastrami with Asian Pickles and Rye. In this tuna preparation, a riff on NYC’s classic sandwich, a center cut sushi grade tuna loin is cured overnight in an exotic spice mixture, including coriander, smoked paprika, mustard seed and allspice. The tuna is sliced sashimi style and garnished with chili mayo, the homemade Asian pickles and a sprinkling of rye bread “bits”. The result is incredibly refreshing and invigorating combination of textures and flavors, a dance party in your mouth, if you will. The Tuna Pastrami paired wonderfully with both the NV Quartz Reef Sparkling Methode Traditionnelle ($28) and the 2008 Craggy Range Kidnapper’s Vineyard Chardonnay ($24) that were poured while Angelo prepared the dish.
The third course was Angelo’s modern take on “Pork & Apple Sauce”, which is spiced up with Pickled Japanese Ginger Sprout and Sake. The Pork and Apple Sauce à la Angelo was paired with the 2008 Craggy Range Kidnapper’s Vineyard Chardonnay ($24), which really highlighted the apples and Asian pears in the dish.
For the fourth course, in a whirlwind of energy, right before our bemused eyes, Angelo created the most delicious Korean Beef Tacos with pickled veggies. The freshness of the pickled veggies combined with the sweet-salty-spiciness of the marinated beef, all tucked into homemade tortillas, made for a real savory finale to the exquisite menu. The Korean Beef Tacos paired marvelously with the 2008 Craggy Range Te Muna Road Pinot Noir ($40).
Angelo’s final demo of the evening was dessert, a Corn “Brulée” with bitter sugar, sake and blueberries. This was the perfect end to the menu, a not-too-sweet spin on classic Crème Brulée. I usually can’t finish a dessert course all by myself, but had no problem with this.
This was my first experience at the De Gustibus Cooking School and it was truly a treat. Watching Angelo demo five courses, each distinct yet unified by Asian flavors, and learning from his methods and tips was an inspiring adventure! Adding to the whole experience of the evening, I had the opportunity to interview Angelo after the class and learned even more about one of New York City’s great Chefs. The Wine Cellarage’s exclusive interview with Angelo Sosa is below…
WC: The wine menu at Social Eatz is manageable, yet eclectic. What was your philosophy behind choosing the wines?
Angelo: A dining experience is not only formed by the greeting at the door, the presentation of the menus, the staff and the food, but it’s the whole experience of the wines that really accentuates the dining experience, along with the personality of the restaurant. Social Eatz is more of a casual environment and we have a very affordable and very easy to drink wine menu; wines that are very diverse with different types of flavor, from Rieslings to Gewurztraminers and Sauvignon Blancs. The wines we’ve chosen are very manageable and very easy to drink.
WC: Is there a wine pairing rule of thumb that you go by?
Angelo: Maybe it’s a little bit unorthodox, but personally I think any combination can work. Flavors are subjective. ‘Drink what you like’ is really the bottom line. You eat what you like, so why shouldn’t you drink what you like? Who’s to say what goes with what? Maybe there’s a certain combination that you can extract an epiphany experience from, but in the end, you have to drink what you like and what you enjoy.
WC: At what point in your life or career did you become Asian food devotee?
Angelo: Working with Jean-Georges Vongerichten definitely was the first exposure to Asian flavors. But in retrospect, thinking back on my life, part of my Latin-Dominican side had an influence. Very spicy foods with a plethora of flavors, from rice and beans, to ingredients such as bay leaf, vinegar, cumin and coriander. That background is really the essence of my inspiration and affinity for Asian flavors.
WC: What was the most valuable lesson or experience that you took from being a Top Chef contender?
Angelo: Biggest lesson, other than ‘taste your food’, was to be 100% confident in what you put out. Stand behind what you put out. There shouldn’t be justification, it’s your vision, it’s what you feel and you have to stand behind it. You can sell yourself on your passion and what you love to do and then people will love what you are doing. When people are placed outside of their element they actually accomplish more.
WC: What has been your greatest culinary achievement to date?
Angelo: Competing back to back on Top Chef. I created over 50 dishes, improv. I think that’s a lot for one person under those extremes, the pressures of being on national camera, cooking for those judges, competing outside of your element. It’s a big accomplishment.
WC: As Executive Chef and Owner of Social Eatz, where does the inspiration for your menu and recipes come from?
Angelo: Definitely from my travels. I’m very keen and really push myself to travel. It’s a very important process of linking and bridging the beginning phases of travel and discovery to the end product.
WC: If there’s a wine you could drink every day, what would it be?
Angelo: Definitely Icewine. I think I would take a bath in it if I could.
WC: Have you tried Icewines from Canada?
Angelo: Yes, absolutely. And I love the ones I’ve tried from Niagara too. I love sweet things.
WC: Finally, what is your favorite ingredient?
Angelo: I go through phases and get very compulsive with ingredients. I would say either Dill or Sriracha.
Mt. Difficulty Winemaker’s Dinner at ’21′ Club
Tuesday, July 19th 2011
Last week I had the pleasure of attending a sumptuous wine dinner at New York City’s ’21′ Club, hosted by Matt Dicey, the winemaker of Mt. Difficulty Wines in Central Otago, New Zealand. The dinner was held in the elegant, upstairs dining room, Upstairs at ’21′, surrounded by vibrant murals of New York landmarks created exclusively for ’21′ by Brooklyn-based artist Wynne Evans.
Mt. Difficulty is a boutique winery located in Bannockburn in Central Otago, New Zealand and owns some of the region’s oldest vineyards. Central Otago is the world’s most southern vineyard area and has unique, unpredictable temperature fluctuations on a daily basis, as well as from season to season, which turns out to be a plus for growing finicky Pinot Noir. The distinctive microclimate of Bannockburn provides hot summers and cool autumns, coaxing the very best out its Pinot Noir grapes. The namesake of the nearby mountain that shelters the vineyards, Mt. Difficulty Wines is an exceptional New Zealand producer.
Here at The Wine Cellarage, we’ve been fans of Mt. Difficulty for quite some time, which is why we were thrilled to find out that Matt Dicey was coming to town and jumped at the opportunity to partner with ’21′ Club for this special wine dinner. Matt is a fourth generation winemaker and has been making Mt. Difficulty Wines since 1999. Matt was a wonderful host and gave captivating introductions for each of the wines that we tasted, going into the differences in soil types, the mixture of clays and gravels found in the region, along with the influence of the region’s climate on grape-growing there. Matt’s jovial disposition and informative dialogues made the evening truly memorable.
Guests were welcomed with a glass of the 2010 Roaring Meg Pinot Gris and a delicious selection of passed canapés, including tuna tartare and lobster and crab salad. The Pinot Gris was crisp and refreshing, cooling everyone down as they came in from the intense heat!
The dinner, prepared by Executive Chef John Greeley, began with seared sea scallops over English pea risotto, razor clam nage and kefir. The scallops were paired with the 2008 Mt. Difficulty Estate Pinot Gris and the 2008 Mt. Difficulty Estate Sauvignon Blanc, offering an interesting juxtaposition. The Pinot Gris complimented the dish perfectly, enhancing the inherent sweetness of the scallops and peas with its aromatics, floral and tropical qualities. The Sauvignon Blanc had a more racy acidity that cut right through the richness of the dish, while its herbaceous notes played harmoniously alongside the pea risotto. Both wines were a great pairing, but I preferred the Estate Pinot Gris.
Next up, we were presented with sockeye salmon, a fricassee of mushrooms, sweet corn purée, lemon butter and dry chilis. This lovely salmon was paired with the 2006 Mt. Difficulty Estate Chardonnay and the 2009 Roaring Meg Pinot Noir, both working marvelously with different elements in the dish and really demonstrated that both varietals can offer an enticing pairing for salmon. The Estate Chardonnay’s red apple notes had a pleasant interplay with the corn purée, while the wine’s creaminess highlighted the splendid richness of the sockeye and lemon butter, finishing with palate cleansing, fresh minerality. On the other hand, the Roaring Meg Pinot Noir complimented the earthiness of the mushroom medley and provided a refreshing contrast to the salmon’s rich texture and flavor.
By the time the third course arrived, animated conversation was as plentiful as the wine being poured and our table had covered a range of topics including biodynamic farming, sustainable energy and the differences between salmon from New Zealand and that from the Atlantic. The grilled lamb chop (cooked beautifully on the rare side) and belly were presented with an array of accompaniments – fine herbs with honey mustard, cherry tomatoes, zucchini blossom and smoked bacon. The lamb was paired with the 2008 Estate Pinot Noir and the single-vineyard 2008 Long Gully Pinot Noir, providing the opportunity to compare different bottlings from the same vintage.
The Estate Pinot Noir showed rich, black fruit and prevalent, balanced tannins and acidity, making for a wonderful pairing. Both Pinots shared rich dark fruit, black cherry and blackberry characteristics, yet the Long Gully had greater complexity and finesse. The Long Gully displayed wild berry flavors, currants and cassis, along with floral and violet aromas, velvety tannins and harmonious acidity that carried through on the long, sweet fruit finish.
The final course, a Pavlova filled with passion fruit coulis and exotic sorbets, was paired with the 2008 Roaring Meg Riesling. This vibrant dessert was the perfect finale to the dinner, where each element came together and made for an enchanting evening of magnificent wine, incredible food, flawless service and delightful ambiance.
Pairing Perfection: Chardonnay & Scallops
Pan-seared sea scallops with lemon cream, sauteed asparagus and garlic mashed potatoes.
Springtime and signs of warmer weather ahead always puts me in the mood for fresh seafood and seasonal produce, especially asparagus, peas, radishes and green onions! After months of roasted meats, hearty stews and root vegetables galore, I am ready to lighten up my cooking a bit, which brings me to the seafood counter. This week, I decided to make pan-seared sea scallops and wanted to accompany them with a couple of simple side dishes. I chose asparagus, since the gorgeous green spears are in season, and garlic mashed potatoes – although on the heavy side, they struck me as just the right addition. The outcome was beautiful and delicious, so I felt compelled to share the recipes and steps for preparing the whole meal. This way, you won’t need to go rummaging through various cookbooks or cooking websites to gather recipes for the separate components of this dish. Of course, this meal wouldn’t be complete without just the right wine pairing, Chardonnay!
Chardonnay and sea scallops are an ethereal pairing. The richness and body of Chardonnay, particularly white Burgundy as well as certain Californian expressions, is the perfect accompaniment for scallops. Chardonnays that undergo secondary fermentation, and especially those aged in oak, tend to manifest creamy, buttery qualities, which are a match made in heaven for the rich, buttery texture and flavor of sea scallops. Chardonnay’s characteristic citrus notes are like a squeeze of lemon on any seafood dish, adding brightness to this sumptuous fare. Wines that fit the bill for the following recipes include the 2008 Domaine des Heritiers du Comte Lafon Macon Chardonnay Clos de la Crochette ($31), the 2008 Ramey Wine Cellars Chardonnay Carneros ($28) and the 2009 Far Niente Winery Chardonnay Napa Valley ($46).
Another excellent wine for scallops, and any other shellfish you may be preparing, is Chablis! Made from 100% Chardonnay, this a wonderful wine to balance the richness of seared scallops. The crisp citrus flavors and palate cleansing acidity are a super pairing for this dish! Many Chablis wines have a bright mineral quality and a slight brininess on the palate, which is a great complement for this delicacy of the sea. Both the 2009 Domaine Gilbert Picq et Ses Fils Chablis Vieilles Vignes ($25) and 2008 Domaine Bessin Chablis Fourchaume ($32) are marvelous choices to pour alongside the pan-seared sea scallops with lemon cream recipe. Time to head to the market and start cooking!
Pan-seared sea scallops with lemon cream, sautéed asparagus and garlic mashed potatoes
4 servings
Active Time: 1 hr 15 min.; Cooking Time: 1 hr 15 min.
Step 1: Make the Lemon Cream (this can be made up to a day ahead and refrigerated until you’re ready to reheat):
1 lemon
1 cup dry white wine
¼ cup diced shallots
2 large cloves garlic, peeled and crushed using the side of a large kitchen knife
1 cup half & half
Salt & fresh ground pepper to taste
Using your vegetable peeler, remove half the lemon’s peel in long strips (avoid peeling the bitter white pith). Squeeze 1 tablespoon of juice from the lemon and set aside. Combine the white wine, diced shallot, crushed garlic and lemon peel in a small saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil. Boil for about 8 minutes (give or take) until the sauce has reduced to about a ½ cup. Add the half & half and continue to boil until the sauce has reduced to about ¾ cup, about 8 to 10 minutes more. Strain the sauce into a liquid measuring cup using a fine strainer; discard the solids. Whisk in the reserved lemon juice, salt & pepper and set aside until ready to reheat.
Step 2: Prep your Asparagus
1 bunch Asparagus
3 Tablespoons butter (don’t be shy)
1 large shallot, diced
Salt & fresh ground pepper to taste
Bring a medium-large half-filled pot of water to a boil. Wash & trim a ½ inch from the bottoms of the asparagus. HINT: start the potatoes while your asparagus water is boiling. Once the water is boiling, drop the asparagus in for just 1 minute, remove and immerse in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking and keep these guys crisp! Set the asparagus aside (you can drain the ice bath and keep it in the same bowl).
Step 3: Get your Garlic Mashed Potatoes going!
4 Yukon Gold or Russet potatoes
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 cup half & half
2 large cloves garlic, peeled and crushed using the side of a large kitchen knife
Grated Parmesan cheese (as much as you want!)
Salt & fresh ground pepper to taste
Peel and dice the potatoes so that all pieces are about the same size. Place in a medium saucepan, add the salt, cover the potatoes with cool water and cover the pan with a lid. Over medium-high heat, bring to a boil and then reduce heat to maintain a rolling boil. Cook for about 20 minutes, until the potatoes fall apart when pierced with a fork. Drain the potatoes once they are done cooking, keep them in the same pan and cover until you are ready to mash them.
While the potatoes are boiling, heat the half & half and crushed garlic over medium heat in your small saucepan. HINT: To keep dirty dishes from accumulating, I simply clean the same pan I used for the lemon cream with a warm damp cloth, dry it and reuse! Once the mixture is simmering, reduce heat to low to keep it warm.
Step 4: Time to Sear the Sea Scallops
16-20 large sea scallops (you’ll want 4-5 per person)
1 ½ tablespoons butter
1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
Salt & Fresh Ground Pepper
Pre-heat the oven to 400ºF. Pat the scallops dry with a paper towel and arrange on a large plate. Sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides of the scallops. Heat 1 Tbs butter and 1 Tbs olive oil in a large stainless-steel skillet over high heat. Depending on the size of your skillet, you may have to brown the scallops in two batches.
Add the scallops to the hot butter and oil and brown them on each side, about 1 to 1 ½ minutes per side. Watch them carefully to make sure they get brown, but don’t cook through. You will finish cooking them in the hot oven. If browning in batches, add the remaining ½ Tbs butter and ½ Tbs olive oil between batches. Transfer the scallops to rimmed baking sheet.
Bring it all together!
Your gourmet meal is really coming together at this point! Your asparagus is prepped and ready for sautéing, your potatoes are cooked and ready for mashing, your delicious lemon cream is already made, your scallops have been seared to a golden brown, now its time to bring it all together!
Step 5: Mash the potatoes
Mash the potatoes using a potato masher or an electric immersion blender. Add ¾ cups of the warm half & half and garlic mixture and grate some Parmesan cheese right into the pan, no need to grate ahead of time. If the potatoes need more moisture, add the remaining ¼ cup of warm half & half. Season to taste with salt and fresh ground pepper. Continue mixing and mashing until the potatoes are smooth. You can turn the heat on low under the pan to keep your mashed potatoes warm.
Hint: Reheat the Lemon Cream in the same saucepan that contained the half & half and garlic, or keep it in the measuring cup and heat it for 30 seconds in the microwave.
Step 6: Finish the Scallops
Pop the scallops into the heated oven and cook for 3-4 minutes.
Step 7: Sautée the Asparagus
Melt the 3 tablespoons of butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the diced shallots and sautée for about 30 seconds, then add the asparagus, seasoning to taste with salt and pepper. Sautée the asparagus spears for just a few minutes, making sure that the butter and shallots coat the spears evenly. Reduce the heat to low, just to keep the spears warm, and cover.
Step 8: Plate your masterpiece and enjoy!
Divide the mashed potatoes, asparagus spears and scallops onto four plates. Drizzle with the lemon cream sauce and viola! You have a created a delightful dinner that will surely impress your guests!
Enjoy each heavenly bite with a sip of the Chardonnay that you chose.